Automatic expanson-valve for refrigerating systems



J. ELLIVIAUER.

AUTOMATIC EXPANSION VALVE FOR REFRIGERATING SYSTEMS.

' APPLICATION FILED ocT. 7. 1919.

FIG. 1.

wearer.

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JOSEF ELLMAUER, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T0 BEFRIGO CORPORA- TION, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN,` A CORPORATION 0F WISCONSIN.

AUTOMATIC EXPANSON-VALVE FOR REFRIGERATING SYSTEMS.

Specification of Letters Patent. f Patented June 7, 19211.

Application led October 7, 1919. Serial No. 329,166.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JOSEF ELLMAUER, a

citizen of the United States of America, re-

cially adapted for machines employed for household use, the structurebeing simple and inexpensive and not likely to get out of order 0r require repairs. A

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic expansion valve permitting the passage of the refrigeranttherethrough at all times but adapted to automatically vary the diameter or capacity of the passage for the refrigerant byl means of the pressure thereof before passing the valve.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an automatic regulating valve for refrigerating iuid which is complete in itself adapted for the protection of` an automaticallyoperated diaphragm capable of suitable regulation for different installations thereby rendering the refrigerating plant safe and economical for domestic employment.

With these general-objects in view my invention consists of the novel combination yhereinafter fully i described in connection with the accompanying drawing and in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention with portions of the pipe line of the refrigerating system illustrated as broken away and Fig. 2 is a central sectional view thereof.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, my invention broadly consists of a spherical casing comprising two hemispherical sections 1() and 11, automatic pressure-regulating means hereinafter described being provided in the casing with an inlet pipe 12 and an outlet pipe 13, communicating with the interior of the latter forming portions of the refrigerant circulating system.

The casing sections 10 and 11 being hollow form a shell when the marginal flanges 14: and 15 thereof are flatly positioned together at the equator or waist of the casing. A d1aphragm 16 is centrally secured within the casing between the sections 10 and 11 with positioned with respect to the portion 18v of the casing 11. Stud bolts 22 secured through the ianges 14 and 15 firmly hold the gasket 21 in position with the diaphragm 16 dividing the interior 0f the casing into upper and lower chal ibers 23 and 24 respectively.

The inlet pipe 12 is furnished with a flange 25 in the form of a plate secured to a boss 26 at the bottom of the casing centrally of the section 11 by means of stud bolts 27, an annular packing means 28 being provided therefor. The boss 26 has a central inlet opening 29 leading to a basin 30 formed by an annular flange 31 in the chamber 24 of the section `11. A perforated disk or strainer 32 is arranged in the opening 33 in the fiange 31 and secured in position by a lead ring 34 beneath Said flan e 31. The strainer 32 prevents scale and ot er foreign matter from enteringV lthe valve chamber 24, the plate 25 being readily removable for cleaning the basin 30.

The outlet 13 for the Vrefrigerant is tapped into the upper section 10 of the casing and communicates with the chamber 23, the passing of the refrigerant in the cooling system from the pipe 12' to the pipe 13 being through a central perforation 35 in the diaphragm 16, the flow of fluid therethrough being continuous during the operation of the system.

The regulating means for` controlling the flexible diaphragm 16 consists of a sleeve 36 threaded through a central boss 37 in the top of the casing in the section 10 thereof and having the threaded portion 38 of a needle valve 39 axially positioned therethrough. lThe pointed free end 40 of the needle 39 is positioned axially of the perforation 35, extending in the form of a cone through said perforation. A lock nut 41 upon the sleeve 36 looks the sleeve adjusted in the boss 37 while a nut 42 upon the needle valve 39 retains the same adjusted within the sleeve 36. j The valve 39 is adjusted upon releasing" the nut 42 by a suitable instrument, not shown, inserted in the kerf 43 at the upper end of the valve, while a Spanner wrench or similar tool may be inserted in the grooves 44 at the top of the sleeve 36 for adjusting the same.

A protecting cap 45 ismounted upon the boss 37 readily removable when desired for changing the adjustment of the valve. A spring 46 positioned' between the washers 47 and'48 carried by the s leeve 36 and the diaphragm 16 respectively, tensions the diaphragm against the pressure of the incoming fluid received into the chamber 24 f through the inlet pipe 12. It will be 1111- derstoodthat the tension of the spring 46 is adjusted by means of the sleeve 36 heretofore fully described.

rlhe complete operation of the invention will be fully understood from this detailed description thereof, it being seen that the diaphragm 16 and needle valve 39 beingI normally seated for use in the manner herein illustrated permits the flow of refrigerant through the perforation 35 for maintaining the proper pressure in the circulating system. f'

An increase in the pressure of the incoming fluid in the chamber 24 elevates the diaphragm 16 by flexing the same against the action of the spring 46 whereby the size of 'the passage 35 is decreased by the increased diameter of the needle valve point 40.

7llhe flow of fluid is thereby decreased while upon the lowering of the pressure in the chamber 24, the diaphragmv 16 is lowered providing a greater available space for the refrigerant in flowing-through the perforation 35. The needle valve 39 never closes the perforation 35 but by means of the automatic operation of the diaphragm 1.6 the capacity of the perforation 35 for the flow of the refrigerant therethrough is automatically regulated for the maintenance of the uniform pressure in the piping of the refrigerating system of which the pipe 13 forms a part.

While the form of the invention herein` described is believed to be preferable, it will be understood that minor changes may be made therein without depart-ing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

`What ll claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A11 automatic expansion valve adapted for employment in the circulating system of a refrigeration plant comprising means through which the refrigerant is conducted, retarding means therein having a constantly open passage and means of less cross-sectional area than said passage axially projecting therethrough and adapted to automatically vary the diameter of said passage operable upon a change o'f pressure of the refrigerant at the inlet side of the retarding means.

2. A device of the class described comprising a casing, a diaphragm centrally traversing the interior thereof and having a central passage, inlet and outlet pipes e11- tering the casing at opposite sides of the diaphragm, a tensioning spring at one side of the diaphragm, a needle valve having a conical point projecting through said central passage and of less cross-sectional area than said passage with said passage constantly open, and varying in capacity during the flexing of the diaphragm in the operation of the device.

3. A device of the class described comprising a spherical casing formed of separable sections, a flexible diaphragm centrally of the casing between the edges of said sections, with a depending {'lange' at its periphery, a lead gasket overlying said flange and the adjacent portion of the diaphragm secured between saidl sections when the device is assembled, the diaphragm having a central passage, and means of less cross-sectional area than said passage adapted to automatically vary the size of said passage, during the operation of the device without entirely closing the same.

4. An automatic valve for refrigerating systems, comprising a hollow casing, connections for the pipe line of the system communicating with the interior of the casing at opposite sides thereof, a central diaphragm secured within the casing in the path of travel of the refrigerant, and having a central openin adjustable tensioning means for the diap ragm, and an adjustable needle valve with a tapered portion constantly projecting through said central opening adapted for varying the capacit of the opening without closing the same uring the operationnof the device.

lln testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

' JOSEF ELLMAUER. 

